


come and light me up

by shadocoon



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Female My Unit | Byleth, New Year's Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:00:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22189030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadocoon/pseuds/shadocoon
Summary: She had a huge crush on Byleth Eisner that she had been doing her best to ignore for the past three and a half years. And here that girl was, a little tipsy and asking to walk her home. And that damn smile that she threw around so carelessly. Edelgard was tempted to decline the offer, but maybe a new year could mean it was time to take chances. The worst thing that could happen would be disappointment, and the best thing that could happen… well, she wouldn’t let herself think that far ahead.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 8
Kudos: 192





	come and light me up

**Author's Note:**

> here is some sweet new year's edeleth fluff for [AzkanHawk!!](https://twitter.com/AzkanHawk)
> 
> i hope everyone is having a lovely 2020 so far!! c:

“Five, four, three, two, one… Happy New Year!!”

The room erupted into cheers as the clock struck midnight. Edelgard felt herself become carried away by the energy of the room as her friends began, talking, drinking, hugging, kissing. She wasn’t usually one for the whole New Year's celebration type of thing, but it was always nice to be surrounded by the positive energy of people who were thinking about the future with such enthusiasm. She didn’t really get the point of New Year’s resolutions—if you wanted to make a change in your life you should just do it immediately—but she was not the type to say that out loud. Not at a New Year’s Eve party at least. Besides, they were ushering in the New Year as well as a new semester. Second semester senior year meant graduation was closer than ever. No matter how dear her college friends were, Edelgard knew she would not be in touch with all of them by the time the next year rolled around.

* * *

“Yo, Edelgard, hold up!”

A familiar voice stopped Edelgard in her tracks. She turned around to find Byleth Eisner jogging up to her. They had been in the same freshman cohort back in the day, even hung out on occasion, but they had naturally drifted apart. Byleth spent most of her time with the rest of the soccer team, and Edelgard had her own friends from the art club. They were only really acquaintances at this point, which was why Edelgard was so startled to be flagged down by the girl.

Byleth stood a few feet away from her on the sidewalk, her cold breath puffing in front of her like little clouds. “You live in West Hall right? Let me walk with you.”

Edelgard had to resist the urge to look behind her to see if Byleth was talking to someone else. Who else would it be? Edelgard had been the only one to leave the party right after midnight. Everyone else would probably be carrying on for the next few hours, but she was exhausted and looking forward to some quiet.

Edelgard cocked her head in confusion. “Don’t you live on this side of campus?”

Byleth answered her question with a grin. She had her letterman jacket open over the floral button down that had served as her party outfit. Part of her collar was messed up, and Edelgard fought the desire to reach out and fix it. She showed no sign of feeling the chill no matter how underdressed she was. Edelgard should have felt cold just by looking at her, but instead she felt full of a sudden warmth. Byleth continued to grin at her, waiting for an answer to her odd request. Edelgard’s heart skipped a beat to remind her the real reason she hadn’t tried to be friends with Byleth after their freshman year.

She had a huge crush on Byleth Eisner that she had been doing her best to ignore for the past three and a half years. And here that girl was, a little tipsy and asking to walk her home. And that damn smile that she threw around so carelessly. Edelgard was tempted to decline the offer, but maybe a new year could mean it was time to take chances. The worst thing that could happen would be disappointment, and the best thing that could happen… well, she wouldn’t let herself think that far ahead.

Edelgard sighed and banished any excitement from her face as she looked up into Byleth’s dark blue eyes. “Alright. You can walk me home.”

“Oh!” There was a look of genuine surprise on Byleth’s face. “Great, I didn’t actually expect you to say yes.”

Edelgard pulled her jacket tighter to herself as she turned away to start walking. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Byleth perform what appeared to be a very small fist pump before she began to follow. They walked in silence for a bit. Byleth was walking so close that Edelgard could smell her conditioner. It was one of those “ocean mist” or “fresh breeze” scents that smelled like nothing in particular. But it was nice, sharp, and clean in a way that suited Byleth. Suited her… Edelgard was thinking like she knew anything about this woman who was walking next to her. They hadn’t had a real conversation in years, unless Edelgard counted the ones that they’d had in her head. She had to keep it together for the rest of this walk and stop thinking too much.

Stop thinking about the dreams she had about her, all soft smiles and hands grasping at sheets. Gentle laughter and gasping breaths. Edelgard sank into her jacket in an attempt to cover up the blush that was rising to her face. If Byleth knew how long she had been harboring a secret crush she would think her pathetic. What a way to start the new year  _ that _ would be. No, she would take this crush with her to her grave. Or hopefully get over it after they graduated and she didn’t have to see Byleth’s perfect face in the dining hall every day.

After about five minutes of walking in silence, Edelgard decided she had to do something. Byleth was normally so gregarious and charismatic that it intimidated her, but tonight was different. Every time she looked over, Byleth glanced away with the furtiveness of someone who had been staring. Did she have something on her face? Was this some weird prank? She couldn’t stand not knowing anymore. Despite how on edge she felt around Byleth, she wasn’t going to suffer in silence for the next fifteen minutes. 

“Byleth?”

“Hm?” Byleth perked up and looked at her.

“Why did you want to walk me home? Why didn’t you stay at the party or go back to your apartment instead?”

There. The question was out there, and it had to be answered. To Edelgard’s surprise, Byleth looked away as a faint dusting of pink sprang to her cheeks. Instead of answering right away, she hopped up onto a low wall that ran along the side of the path they were walking on. Her eyes were trained on the stars and the night sky framed her face in its blue-black light. Edelgard found herself admiring the slope of Byleth’s neck and the faint scar that traced the line of her jaw. That jaw was currently working as Byleth chewed on her lower lip in thought.

“I didn’t want to stay at the party or go home because I wanted to start the new year like this. With you.”

“Oh.” 

Byleth kept going before Edelgard could say anything else. “I didn’t think you would really remember me because we don’t talk that much anymore, but I think about you a lot, and we’re about to graduate, so I wanted to talk to you again before that. And I wanted to… what? Why are you laughing?”

Edelgard had stopped walking and was nearly doubled over in laughter. She wasn’t entirely sure what she was laughing at. Byleth was baring her soul—or at least attempting to in her own rambling way—but she was just being so unexpectedly  _ cute _ that Edelgard couldn’t help but laugh.

“Come on!” Byleth protested. “I’m being serious here.”

Edelgard cleared her throat and straightened up. She looked to Byleth who was still standing on the wall, hands on hips and looking down at her with a scowl. It looked like she was trying to be angry, but her face was painted with a furious blush and her pout was about as fierce as a puppy’s. Edelgard’s mouth formed a shaky smile that she wasn’t able to hold back. Was this really the girl that she’d been afraid of for four years? Though this unexpected cute side seemed to have her falling even further for Byleth, which she hadn’t known was possible.

Another small laugh bubbled up from her. “I guess I’m not quite sure what you’re saying.”

“I guess what I’m trying to say is...” Byleth took in a breath. “My New Year's resolution is… you.”

Now  _ that _ was enough to cut off Edelgard’s chuckling. She must have misheard, but the combination of Byleth’s furrowed brow and the earnest shine in her eyes was enough to show how serious she was being.

“What do you mean?” Edelgard breathed.

“I mean I’ve had a crush on you since we were eighteen, and I’ve been too afraid to tell you. You’re just so cool and smart and beautiful that I thought you would never be interested in someone like me. So, I made it my New Year’s resolution to ask you out, and… well I wanted to fulfill that one as soon as possible.”

Byleth jumped down from the wall and stood with her hands shoved deep in the pockets of her jacket. Edelgard was feeling such a wild array of emotions that she could barely process what was happening. Byleth  _ liked _ her? And it seemed like her crush was just as bad as her own, if not even worse. Those honest blue eyes, her wild, thick hair, the muscles in her arms, the strength of her hands, the curve of her mouth. Everything about Byleth made her the most beautiful and handsome woman Edelgard had ever seen, and here she was spilling her heart and assuming she would get nothing in return. 

Edelgard reached out and finally flipped down the messed up side of Byleth’s collar. “Maybe you should try asking me out then.”

Edelgard wasn’t sure if Byleth gulped or if the movement in her throat was a trick of the light, but she didn’t focus on that for too long as Byleth reached up to grab her hand. Her grip was strong, and her touch sent enough warmth through Edelgard’s body that she forgot the January chill.

“Go out with me?”

Edelgard felt herself nod. With that, it seemed that some of the cool and assured Byleth she knew had returned. Her shy smile changed to a satisfied grin that crinkled her eyes in the most perfect way. Edelgard felt about ready to melt, which Byleth was not helping with the way she was still holding her hand so tight.

When they kissed it was like the first drops of sun leaking into the sky in the early morning. Byleth tasted like whiskey and peppermint and heat. Edelgard smiled into the kiss, and she felt Byleth do the same. Maybe there was something to be said for New Year’s resolutions after all.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you [AzkanHawk](https://twitter.com/AzkanHawk) for your patience and for such a sweet prompt! 
> 
> i went with a slightly different byleth interpretation this time around, so i hope y'all enjoy careless charming jock byleth as much as i enjoyed writing her!
> 
> feel free to let me know what you think in the comments or you can find me on twitter [shadocoon!](https://twitter.com/shadocoon)
> 
> see you soon with more writing! :D
> 
> -sarah


End file.
